During the process of manufacturing computer systems, internal semiconductor devices on logic boards within the computer systems may be programmed using a special programming connector. The connector interfaces between programmable logic circuitry on a logic board having a central processing unit, which is referred to as a motherboard, and an external programming device. Internally, on the motherboard, the connector is connected to the programmable logic circuitry to provide the appropriate control signals for programming the logic in a useful manner. Because the programming connector is designed for programming operations, the connector becomes useless after the programming operation is performed and the programmable logic circuitry is programmed. In this situation, the special programming connector requires space on the motherboard and, therefore, this space may not be used for any other purpose even after the programming operation is executed. Such dedicated space results in inefficient use of the motherboard resources. Furthermore, as different devices are increasingly added to computers, a number of connectors on a motherboard increases. This increase in the number of connectors is also augmented by the fact that computer vendors are currently implementing computer system designs in which motherboards may be shared across several types of products. Such implementations of computer systems having a common motherboard increases a number of connectors on that motherboard, even though all connectors are not necessarily in use at a given time. The presence of connectors which are no longer usable on a motherboard results in an inefficient use of space on that motherboard. Furthermore, the extra unused connectors are confusing to a user who is installing new devices in the data processing system.
Therefore, a need exists for an apparatus and method for reducing a number of connectors in a system, while maintaining the functionality provided by the connectors currently implemented on most motherboards.